Month: August 2025

Up about 5.30 am but takes me ages to get ready this morning, partly because I didn’t manage to get my phone and stuff charged last night but the laundry room is open and there are sockets I can use to get this done.

Finally on the road on the road for Gretna and the obligatory photo shoot at Gretna – feeling (ridiculously) guilty that I have jilted Bertie Bike and have Phil with me this time.

And then on to Carlisle.

Very slow and tired today – found a McDonalds for 2nd breakfast – had food with me but it’s cold and damp outside so I wanted somewhere I could sit inside in the warmth, use the toilet and charge my phone (again – using phone to navigate is a huge drain on the battery). I’ve missed breakfast – I’ve barely gone any distance and it’s already after 11am and I end up having a chicken wrap – there doesn’t seem to be any tables with sockets to charge my phone and that I can keep an eye on the bike at the same time -and the door to McDonalds is open so it’s not very warm – so I’ve not ticked many of my boxes but do have something to eat and use the toilet.

Now using cycle route 7 – lovely quiet scenic roads – enjoyed it for a while but hard work and I don’t feel as if I’m making a lot of progress so peel off and pick up the A6 and head through Penrith & Shap – much busier but still good and easier on the legs.

Before joining the A6 I came through “Unthank” – another place name I’d not heard of before – (stolen from the web) “Unthank” typically originates from the Old English word “unþanc,” meaning “without leave” or “without consent.” This often referred to land that was occupied or farmed without the permission of the landowner, effectively making the inhabitants squatters. 

After the village of Shap but just before the highest point of the A6 I took a left turn and headed east to try and find a spot to pitch the tent – nothing looked suitable and now I’m in “I’m not supposed to wild camp England” I was feeling a bit more cautious but after a few more hilly miles (and the wind was picking up) I was glad to see signs for Moor House Farm Campsite. A hasty tent erection – making sure nothing got blown away – a lovely spot but little if any shelter from the wind. Shower and straight into tent to hide from the wind and hope that sleep will take over.

Up early and on the road by 6am. Grey and driech but in a nice cooling way. New roads for me in some nice rolling country side. Was aiming to get to get to Carlisle today but knew this was probably a bit too far and even more so having not got so far the night before. Put my ear bud in to help with navigation – never particularly like using them as they are not comfortable and only ever wear one at a time – right ear has a newish piercing which gets in the way of ear bud so left one goes in – progress is made but then I stop getting directions – whether by phone or ear bud it’s not the first time it’s cut out – but then sometime later I realise that I’ve lost the dam thing and having puffed up a hill and not sure when it’s come out I don’t go back to look for it and I’ve now become a horrible litterer of the countryside.

One minute I’m in rolling countryside and the next I’m in a very built up area but passing through this fantastic underpass.

Then past this very phallic mausoleum in Hamilton Park.

Need to push the bike on a steep hill through Chatelherault Country Park and it’s famous hunting lodge – hoping I get better on the hills before I reach the Swiss / Italian border.

I’ve been on cycle route 75 and now 74 – 74 I’ve used before – it’s a well used cycle route between Gretna and Glasgow – super direct and easy but boring as anything and not much to see on the way but I do get another picture of this cycling globe – this time with Phil rather than Bertie.

Feeling tired – def won’t be getting to Carlisle – not convinced I’ll even manage 60 miles – have a pit stop at a wee post office come shop come cafe in Abington and feasted on a large bakewell tart flapjack – finally something kicks in or the cycling moon and stars have lined up – no uphills, the wind is with me and my legs are feeling good and get another 30+ miles in before deciding I need to pitch the tent for a night. Was going to look for a wild camping spot but fancy a shower and could do with getting phone and tracker charged up. Remember that there’s a campsite I’ve stayed at before – Bruce’s Cave Campsite – so named as there is a cave where Robert The Bruce is said to have hidden – and I head there – it’s about 5 miles North West of Getna Green. Tired now and sun is going down- I want to get the tent up before it gets dark – I take the last right turn to the campsite and then get stopped as the barriers are down for the railway line level crossing and I wait and I wait and I wait – no sight or sound of a train coming and it starts to rain – I can actually see the entrance to the campsite but can’t get there – finally a train going north shoots past – yipee I think, I’m ready for a quick take off when the barriers go up but they DON’T!! – they still don’t – while I’m waiting Karen phones and we manage to have a conversation and a huge double rainbow comes out – finally a long goods train passes by but south this time and then barriers go up and finally get to pitch my tent for the night.

Fantastic much needed toasty shower – think I used more than my fair share of hot water but it was bliss – apart when I realised that I seem to have lost some of my skin on my right butt cheek – probably not more than a pin prick but felt huge when the water hit it!

101.4 miles

128.4 miles total / 1 wild camp / 1st campsite

Day 1 – cycle to work with a loaded bike – having the usual why are my bags too full and too heavy – what should I have left behind – what have I forgotten – why do I have a huge bag of banana chips, cashew nuts and dried fruit with me that is probably taking up a 1/4 of the space in one of my panniers, etc etc.

Good day at work and then we are on our way properly. 1st wee hill between Stirling and Denny reminds me how unfit I am – then it’s onto the canal tow path and it’s a perfect evening for getting some miles under my belt – sun is out but not too hot, gentle breeze and no midgies – so perfect that I forgot to turn left and leave the canal at Auchinstarry to start heading south. I accidentally carry on to nearly Kirkintilloch – I could have turned left at Kirkintilloch and headed south from there but it’s much more built up and I reckon less possibilities for a wee bit of wild camping.

So it’s back to Auchinstarry, turn right and head south from there but not before having a blether with a fellow cyclist.

Didn’t get as far south as I would have liked but found a wee spot in some trees, near to a football stadium to pitch my tent for the night – dark coloured tent great for a wee bit of stealth camping – hi vis pink jacket not so much but nobody seemed to notice me putting the tent up.

27 miles / 1 wild camp / 1st item lost and / or forgotten – my cheese is in the fridge at work / 1st item broken – I’ve managed to break the mouth piece for my water bladder and lost most of my water in the process.